HOUSTON, Texas - Loyola University Chicago head women's basketball coach Sheryl Swoopes has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Swoopes will join Allen Iverson, Tom Izzo, Yao Ming, Shaquille O'Neal and Jerry Reinsdorf in the Class of 2016, which will be enshrined during festivities, Sept. 8-10, in Springfield, Mass.

"On behalf of Loyola University Chicago and all our Rambler fans I would like to extend a big congratulations to Sheryl on being a part of the 2016 Naismith Hall of Fame class," Loyola Director of Athletics Steve Watson said. "It's an amazing honor and a well-deserved tribute to one of basketball's great champions and pioneers."

"Today marks a very special moment in my life as well as my family," Swoopes commented. "I could not be more excited and honored to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Class of 2016. Thank you to everyone who has helped me accomplish all of my goals and dreams along the way. God has blessed me tremendously and I am so grateful to be joining such an amazing group of people that I can call family."

Swoopes' credentials at every level of her playing career are certainly Hall of Fame worthy. Following a two-year stint at South Plains Junior College in Texas, Swoopes rewrote the record books at Texas Tech as she led the Red Raiders to the 1993 NCAA National Championship and was named the Naismith National Player of the Year. The Brownfield, Texas native set an NCAA Championship game record in Texas Tech's 84-82 victory over Ohio State, pouring in 47 points en route to being named the Final Four's Most Valuable Player.

Following a stint overseas to begin her professional career, Swoopes found her way back stateside in 1997 when she was assigned to the Houston Comets in the first player allocations for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Her 10-year stay with the Comets, who she helped lead to four WNBA Championships, is one of legends. Named the league's Most Valuable Player on three separate occasions (2000, 2002, 2003), Swoopes was honored as a WNBA All-Star six times and posted career marks of 15.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game during a 12-year playing career that also included stops with the Seattle Storm and Tulsa Shock.

Swoopes has also had the opportunity to represent her country as part of Team USA on numerous occasions. Most notably, she was a member of the gold medal winning USA Olympic Teams in 1996 (Atlanta), 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens).

Fourteen finalists were eligible for this year's induction. A finalist needed 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.